


Plans

by westwingfanfictioncentral_archivist



Category: The West Wing
Genre: F/M, Romance
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2000-12-15
Updated: 2000-12-15
Packaged: 2019-05-15 21:02:56
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 970
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14797907
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/westwingfanfictioncentral_archivist/pseuds/westwingfanfictioncentral_archivist
Summary: Donna muses about Josh.





	Plans

**Author's Note:**

> A copy of this work was once archived at National Library, a part of the [ West Wing Fanfiction Central](https://fanlore.org/wiki/West_Wing_Fanfiction_Central), a West Wing fanfiction archive. More information about the Open Doors approved archive move can be found in the [announcement post](http://archiveofourown.org/admin_posts/8325).

Hi all, new story. Forgive the lengthiness, I didn't want to split it in parts. Please feel free to archive, just drop me a line as to where.

Disclaimers: If you love something, set it free. So they're not mine, it still feels like they are sometimes.

************************** 

PLANS

It's a beautiful morning. When I look out the window, I see apple trees in bloom, all feathered in fluffy white flowers, and I hear birds singing. When I watch the people outside, they look cheerful - each in their way, each on their path, each to their business.

There isn't much work today. Given that it's Friday, Josh is off to the Hill to fight for democratic virtue, and Cathy has taken over my work because Sam needs it on his desk pronto, today is a perfect day to sit, put my feet up, sip tea and make plans.

Here's my plan. I'm completely, utterly, invariably in love with Josh.

Okay. So it's more of a statement than a plan. It's entirely possible I may start planning something based on this statement, and I'm sticking with that story.

Like, for example, what he would say if he knew. "I love you too, Donnatella Moss. Everything you do constitutes the light of my life: you're my meaning and my future. You're fired. Now marry me."

I can definitely live with him saying that. Becoming a housewife is no problem when you're a wife to the man who makes you shiver at the mere thought of him and when it's the house you two will share for the rest of your life. And if that turns out to be boring, Cathy can always use some help taking care of Sam.

And Josh will just have to rescue another unfortunate soul with an amazing job offer. Someone will take my place near his office; some other woman will feel the thrill of powerful things happening around her. Another woman will spend her days watching the Deputy Chief of Staff at work, dazzled as I am by his authoritative presence and his sharp intellect.

Another woman. That'll be the day!

New plan.

"I adore you, Donna. Every waking moment of my life is empty, if unfilled by your presence. I cannot work here without you, and I'm prepared to stand up to anyone who would be against us working together when we marry. The Chief of Staff, the President, a thousand Presidents. Marry me, now."

That will work, too. I don't see how marriage will affect my ability to type and file and the legitimacy of annoying Josh with trivia will finally be justified. Wives do that all the time.

Of course, most of the time he'll be out of the office. There are meetings, business lunches, trips to be attended, and I will spend those days in the office, waiting. Feeling sorry for myself - seeing myself as a woman whose husband is never there for her. Knowing me, I'll begin imagining him \- god forbid - having a good time elsewhere. Wives, my brother tells me, tend to do that.

I need a new plan.

"You are everything to me, my love. I know it'll be difficult working together when we have to conceal our passion, but I'm willing to try it for the sake of our happiness. Your kiss now and then will keep me sane until the day is over, and no one can tell us what to do when the night falls."

Now that the marriage is out of the question, it wouldn't hurt if he threw in an apology right about now.

We'll sneak into his office two-three times a day, when the phone isn't ringing off the hook, and I'll let my fingers run freely through his hair as his lips trace the line of my neck. It'll be wonderful - the sweetness of a forbidden fruit in the swirling darkness and the smell of his skin on mine.

Until, inevitably, one day someone will walk in on us and that will be the day that I die. Handling embarrassment is not my forte. Not to mention that I'll never work in the White House again, and Josh will be in major trouble.

Josh Lyman, I hate you for making me feel like this. This country does not support freedom of love and that must change. Help me, I love you. Find a way to love me back.

Moving right along to the next plan.

We're not married; we're not having a wonderful, passionate, miraculous affair and right now, with the way this day's events are going, we are hardly even friends. And the worst part of it is - it's killing me. I'm ready to do anything.

This is exactly what Josh would object to, a trait of mine he dislikes the most - settling for a small fraction of what I, according to him, deserve. But when it comes to him - him and me - I'm ready for that, too.

"Donna? I need a printout of the latest GDC stats in all states. Now, please."

Wait a minute. Did I just imagine him saying that?

He's back - standing at the door, smiling, completely unaware of my world crumbling to pieces because of him. I am so angry with him.

"Calm down, will you? I'll get your stupid stats in a minute."

Josh's face falls as I raise my voice to him. The moment is awkward, and I get busy with the computer to dissolve it away. He's watching me work, and the smile slowly finds its way back into his eyes. His face now shines with it.

I will wait for you, Josh Lyman. Working with you has given me infinite patience, and loving you has afforded me strength.

I will wait until you make the first step. 

********************

Thanks for reading, 

Irene.

  

The End 

  

  


End file.
